Sleeper trains are enjoying a booming renaissance in Europe at the moment, but some travellers are still put off by the idea of sharing a cabin with strangers.
While many night services offer two-bed or single cabins, they are usually an expensive option and tend to sell out quickly..
Now, a new company is launching sleeper trains with entirely private rooms – and they promise tickets won’t be more than the price of a flight.
‘We want to make night trains an essential part of European travel’
Nox, a Berlin-based startup, says its mission is to offer a real alternative to short-haul flights in Europe.
From 2027, the company plans to operate its first Europe-wide overnight trains with cabins designed for one or two passengers.
“Sleeping while a train gets you across Europe is a great concept. But today people have to share their cabins with strangers, beds are tight, and it’s often more expensive than air travel,” says Thibault Constant, co-founder of Nox.
“We want to change that and make night trains an essential part of European travel.”
Extra-long beds and panoramic windows
Constant, who is known as ‘Simply Railway’ to his over half a million social media followers, has more than 400 night train trips worldwide under his belt.
He says this experience has been a crucial influence on the design of the new sleepers.
There will be three room categories: a single loft for one passenger with an upper-level bed and a seat and table; a double loft with a double upper-level bed and two seats and a table; and a double vista with easy-entry beds, the lower of which converts into seating.
All three room categories will have two-metre-long beds, and enough space to stand up and store your luggage. Some cabins will also offer windows with panoramic views.
Fellow founder Janek Smalla says the room design allows them to fit more people into their trains than traditional operators can.
“This, paired with a strict focus on standardisation and operational excellence, will allow us to offer affordable fares on over 35 European routes,” he adds.
‘Ticket prices as low as air fares’
The aim is to offer night train connections between 100 European cities by 2035. These include Paris, Barcelona, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Warsaw, Budapest and Rome.
The company wants the network to become a viable alternative to short-haul flights, saying it aims to “offer ticket prices as low as air fares”.
Interested travellers can already explore planned timetables and prices on the Nox website. Single rooms will start at €79 and double rooms at €149.
There will be a food and drink service on board, space for bikes, and wheelchair-accessible coaches.
Travellers can join the free Early Bird Club to stay updated, receive discounted rates, and gain early access to bookings.
Read the full article here
